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Thread: Your Deer Rifle and Optics Set Up

  1. #11
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    I have a Ruger No. 1 in .270 Win that I bought in 1992. I've hunted with it every year since then and never really felt the need for another rifle. I have a Leupold 3-9x by 40mm scope on it that I bought in 1994. I really love my setup.

    However, there are a ton of rifles that will do what you need. If I buy anything else, it'll likely be a 6.5CM or maybe a 6CM. However, I'd like a nice 6.5x55 too.

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  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hieronymous View Post
    I will be deer hunting in Missouri in November (essentially my first time). The property on which I'll hunt offers moderately hilly woods and two fields with maximum ranges of between 200 and 300 yards. At present I own nothing suitable for deer and am hoping for some input.

    First, let me say, that my father in-law (with whom I'll be hunting) has taken multiple deer each season for twenty plus years with his father's Marlin 30-30. He loves to hunt, but isn't the slight bit interested in the gun itself, per se. Me, I'm hoping to ignite my interest in deer hunting as a great way to bond with my father in law, but I AM interested in the gun; researching and pondering this choice is part of the fun for me.

    Rifles: So far, I am looking at the Bergara B-14 Hunter and the Tikka T3X Lite.

    Caliber: I have thought .270 would be a classic caliber choice, but think too that this is a great opportunity to experience the 6.5 Creedmore (i'm told it's soft and flat shooting). Would both of these work well?

    Optics: No idea. I did wonder if an LPVO could work well? My thought was, perhaps I could also use it for my next AR purchase and, as I could be in a blind in the woods or in the fields, going from say 6 power to 1 could be useful? Honestly, I just haven't the experience to know.

    I confess that I lower cost rifles would be more than adequate, but I enjoy paying for a bit more quality. My rifle cost I'd say should be in the $800-$1100 range. I'd like good glass, but would like to keep the cost between $500-$800 if possible. Any makes/models I should look at? Thoughts on my two current contenders?

    What are you guys using. What's worked about your set up and what hasn't?

    Best,

    Hieronymous
    Lots of good advice so far. My only suggestion would be to reverse your budgets for rifles and optics. Most deer are really nocturnal and are often encountered at dawn and dusk when a better optic is a great aid to making a clean kill.

    If funds are an issue I would buy the optic first.

  3. #13
    Member StraitR's Avatar
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    The most serious hunters I know use pretty traditional bolt rifles from Winchester, Remington, and Savage in the most popular calibers (.270, .308, .30-06) with mid-level optics from Nikon or Leupold. They keep the freezers packed. With a $1900 budget, you're well ahead of the curve.

    I've been very happy with my T3x CTR set up for general purpose use, and if I were in the market for another bolt action rifle, would look no further than another Tikka.

    A T3x Lite Compact in your preferred caliber topped with a Leupold VX3i 2.5-8 would be quite handy and do everything you need from 0-300yards.

    Right now my CTR wears a Razor Gen II-E 1-6 because that's what I had laying around. A buddy wants it for his GP carbine, so if he buys it I'll be replacing it with much lighter Leupold, quite possibly that 2.5-8 VX3i.

  4. #14
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    I went through this process not long ago myself. I settled on a T3x Lite Stainless in .308 with a Nikon Prostaff 5 2-10x50. I’ve only had it for one season in which I wasn’t lucky enough to be presented with a clean shot. I’m hoping this year is different.

    Looking back on it, I kind of wish I got something in either .270 or 6.5CM. I might be doing something wrong as I don’t shoot rifles hardly at all, but that particular .308 beats the hell out of my shoulder in fairly short order. It most definitely shoots better than I though.


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  5. #15
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    Mainly because I had an older A-Bolt already, I chose a Browning Micro AB3 in 6.5 Creedmoor. The caliber is sufficient for anything I hunt and beats me up a lot less than my old .30-06. I topped it with a Leupold VX3i 2.5-8x32. I use a MagPul sling. The gun is just about perfect for me. The 6.5 Creedmoor is here to stay, and ammo availability pretty much passes the Wal-Mart test these days. If you get a good rifle that fits you well, with a quality scope, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the choices listed so far. You can get a really good rifle for not a lot of money these days. (The photo above is the only one I could find on my phone of my rifle. I loaned it to a buddy last year after he had shoulder surgery. My rifle had the least recoil of any of the pool of rifles that we had available in camp. So, not my deer, but my rifle...)

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by HCM View Post
    Lots of good advice so far. My only suggestion would be to reverse your budgets for rifles and optics. Most deer are really nocturnal and are often encountered at dawn and dusk when a better optic is a great aid to making a clean kill.

    If funds are an issue I would buy the optic first.
    This is excellent advice. A Nightforce SHV 3-10x42 with the illuminated Forceplex reticle on top of a Tikka T3 would be very hard to beat.

    I'd also add a first-rate pair of binoculars. I'd rather hunt with $1k binos and a $200 rifle than the other way around.


    Okie John
    “The reliability of the 30-06 on most of the world’s non-dangerous game is so well established as to be beyond intelligent dispute.” Finn Aagaard
    "Don't fuck with it" seems to prevent the vast majority of reported issues." BehindBlueI's

  7. #17
    The T3x lite in .270 Winchester is pretty lively on the bench. The lightweight gun has a violent snap to it. If you go light, I would suggest the 6.5 unless you don’t mind being clobbered.

    I bought a Howa 6.5 Creedmoor for my daughter. It is a decent gun, but our sample is a little finicky and the barrel is a copper mine.

  8. #18
    Member JHC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HCM View Post
    Lots of good advice so far. My only suggestion would be to reverse your budgets for rifles and optics. Most deer are really nocturnal and are often encountered at dawn and dusk when a better optic is a great aid to making a clean kill.

    If funds are an issue I would buy the optic first.


    That ^. I'd get a strong optic and a Ruger American in 6.5 Creedmore to start with to manage the total cost of the project.
    Last edited by JHC; 07-23-2019 at 09:07 AM.
    “Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais

  9. #19
    Member JHC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spinmove_ View Post
    I went through this process not long ago myself. I settled on a T3x Lite Stainless in .308 with a Nikon Prostaff 5 2-10x50. I’ve only had it for one season in which I wasn’t lucky enough to be presented with a clean shot. I’m hoping this year is different.

    Looking back on it, I kind of wish I got something in either .270 or 6.5CM. I might be doing something wrong as I don’t shoot rifles hardly at all, but that particular .308 beats the hell out of my shoulder in fairly short order. It most definitely shoots better than I though.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I don't tolerate centerfire rifle recoil well - up in the .308 plus class - and I found my buddies .270 even worse and it was no lightweight. Hence my attraction to the 6.5 CM for one of these days.
    “Remember, being healthy is basically just dying as slowly as possible,” Ricky Gervais

  10. #20
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    My deer rifle for the last 16 years has been a Winchester 70 Featherweight 6.5x55 with Leupold VX1 2-7x32. This is a nice and light combo for hunting in the Virginia mountains. With a 140gr Sierra BTSP, it has dropped every deer I've shot. While I like the gun, if I were to do it all over again, I'd probably get a 308win for more flexibility. I felt the 6.5x55 was a bit light for black bear, so I went out and got a Savage Hog Hunter 308 (wanted iron sights).

    Chris

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